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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29342940">Self-Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitheringFeniks/pseuds/WitheringFeniks'>WitheringFeniks</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Wilds [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asexual Character, Child Wild (Linked Universe), Gen, Genderfluid Character, Genderfluid Link (Legend of Zelda), Genderfluid Wild (Linked Universe), Homoromantic, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Themes, Link (Legend of Zelda) is a Dork, Pre-Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Sexuality, Zelda is a precious bean, Zelda is homoromantic asexual, learning to love yourself</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:54:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,005</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29342940</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitheringFeniks/pseuds/WitheringFeniks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“When I woke up, I didn’t know anything—that included gender,” Link fiddled with the edge of the blanket that they had been cuddled up in minutes prior, “I just called myself they because I was—what? What was I? I remember thinking, I didn’t know what male or female was, let alone that there were differences. When the Old Man began teaching me to speak and read—or gave me a fresher since when I began to remember I pretty much got it—he used he pronouns and I hated it, made me feel so, so uncomfortable. I got snappish and angry at him until I had to outright try and explain why calling me a he got me so riled up. He…clearly disliked it but said nothing. Probably to save face and not make me any angrier.”</p><p>Zelda had always known her father’s views on what nobility had deemed taboos. That shunning was what led to Zelda’s own…repression.</p><p> </p><p>AKA: my two babies have a conversation about sexuality and Zelda learns to love herself</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Flora &amp; Wild (Linked Universe), Link &amp; Zelda (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Wilds [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>103</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Self-Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is slightly different from what I normally do but I wanted to give Zelda some love. While I don't see canon BOTW-Zelda as homoromantic asexual, I do see my precious baby as so. But again, I've never done anything like this, so I hope everything is respectful!</p><p>Link's own sexuality isn't touched but that a tad more complicated and I'm nowhere near ready to touch that yet lol.</p><p> </p><p>Constructive criticism is always welcome!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How did you know that you didn’t just feel like you were male?” Zelda questioned.</p><p>Link stilled and rolled onto their front, “It was a feeling? It’s hard to describe. Before, I had always sort of know I was…different? That it was more than I just found dresses pretty, I wanted to be the one to wear them, wanted people to think I was just as beautiful as other girls. But I also knew…” Link’s brows scrunched, “I can’t really put them into words? But sometimes I felt yucky to be called either <em>he</em> or <em>she</em>, so I subconsciously started using <em>he</em> or <em>she</em> or <em>they</em> to myself long before I realised what was happening.”</p><p>Link gained a distant glaze in their eyes, “It was Urbosa who got me to embrace myself.”</p><p>Now that caught Zelda by surprise, “Urbosa?”</p><p>She knew that Link had been sent to the desert to train a few years before they had been appointed her personal knight. But Zelda had never known Urbosa and Link had been overly close, sure she had seen them sparing together—it was a common occurrence when the Gerudo had visited the castle once upon a time, but it hadn’t ever twigged that the two had been close-close.</p><p>“She had been like a mother to me when I had never known any other,” Link continued, face softening, and Zelda could see the beginning of tears gathering in their eyes before Link got a hold of themself and sat up with a sniffle, “Anywhere what is it you wanted to know? We’re getting off-topic.”</p><p>Clearly, Link didn’t want to talk about it and Zelda was going to respect the fuck out of that, she had made that mistake to many times in the beginning.</p><p>So, nodding in agreement, Zelda took a breath as she psyched herself up to admit this. It had been with her for a long time, never to be utter for it had been a taboo. Thankfully Link continued before she could speak for herself.</p><p>“When I woke up, I didn’t know anything—that included gender,” Link fiddled with the edge of the blanket that they had been cuddled up in minutes prior, “I just called myself <em>they</em> because I was—what? What was I? I remember thinking, I didn’t know what male or female was, let alone that there were <em>differences</em>. When the Old Man began teaching me to speak and read—or gave me a fresher since when I began to remember I pretty much got it—he used <em>he</em> pronouns and I hated it, made me feel so, <em>so</em> uncomfortable. I got snappish and angry at him until I had to outright try and explain why calling me a <em>he</em> got me so riled up. He…clearly disliked it but said nothing. Probably to save face and not make me any angrier.”</p><p>Zelda had always known her father’s views on what nobility had deemed taboos. That shunning was what led to Zelda’s own…repression.</p><p>She took a breath, “Do you remember the Sheikah poet that father assigned to me?”</p><p>Link squinted at her, “Yes? Can’t see a clear picture of him but I know of him via Kass, who was his student.”</p><p>Zelda nodded, “Then you might remember that he had a crush on me…it…” she sighed in frustration, not able to find her damn words!</p><p>“Take your time,” Link hummed and lay back down, stretching out before cuddling the pillow to their chest.</p><p>Zelda wonders if this frustration and struggle is something all people like them go through.</p><p>“I never found men attractive, not…not in the way the noble ladies would chatter about. The talks of who they’d want to marry, how they’d be in bed,” she grimaced at that one, “It was a complete turn-off. But I also know I found other women attractive but there was never anything sexual about it. I’ve never once felt an…itch, I suppose. None! Of course, being so busy and stressed I strove to ignore it because it was easier to focus on other things than my apparent broken and wrongness. As Princess, it would have been my purpose to marry and suitable man and produce an heir, yet…”</p><p>“The idea of sleeping with another, even a woman who you found attractive, was repulsive?”</p><p>“Yes!” Zelda beamed, so glad Link understood where she was going. It was so, <em>so</em> relieving. The heaviness that had weighed down her chest at the start of the conversation easing the more they spoke.</p><p>“There’s nothing wrong with you, Z,” Link reached out a hand and she let them tug her into the nest. Link snuggled up against her and she quickly wrapped her arms around them, “Did you know Hylians, mostly the upper-class, are the only species that consider anything other than male-female relationships and non-confirmative views on genders taboos?”</p><p>“…I knew Rito, Zora, and Gorons were more complicated than Hylian and Gerudo, but…was it really like that?” How had they allowed things to get so twisted and horrendous that shunning and out casting was considered okay? Considered the norm for such situations? It makes her ashamed to have once been part of such a community.</p><p>“Nowadays, without such pompous bastards, people can be who they want, can life as their true selves,” Link grinned at her, “Never once since I’ve awakened has anyone, other than the Old Man, shown distaste at my identity. In fact, I’ve met a few others just like me! A woman who lives in Kara Kara Bazaar helped me relearn about myself. She helped me understand! It was so enlightening!”</p><p>In their happiness, Link gave a little butt wiggle and Zelda giggled.</p><p>“So, there’s no rush. Maybe one day your views change, nor maybe never but it doesn’t matter because you’re you and you’re wonderful the way you are no matter what!”</p><p>Zelda hugged Link close, eyes welling up with happy tears, “Thank you for listening to me.”</p><p>“You’re most welcome! I’m always happy to help~!”</p>
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